Mitchell's Fine Chocolates

The Original Mitchell Team Chris and Penelope Mitchell take a break from their duties at the store's original location on Euclid Heights Boulevard adjacent to the theater.

Well into the 20th century, waves of immigrants swelled Cleveland's ranks. Among them was a Greek native by the name of Chris Mitchell. Rather than contenting himself with a factory job, however, Mitchell tried his hand in business. Unfortunately, it was during the Great Depression and Mitchell’s first three businesses failed. But then he made a particularly astute observation: One business that seemed to thrive despite hard economic times was cinema! For his fourth endeavor, Mitchell thus chose to open a candy shop next door to the Heights Theater in 1939. More than three quarters of a century later, the store is still a Cleveland Heights icon.

Originally located on Euclid Heights Boulevard, Mitchell's was not the only store selling popcorn and penny candy to moviegoers. At one point there were as many as sixteen others in the Cleveland area. However, when movie theaters started bringing concessions in house, businesses similar to Mitchell's began to die out. Rather than suffer the same fate, Chris Mitchell deemphasized popcorn and other inexpensive sweet treats and focused most heavily on chocolate. The store's chocolates and the methods by which they are made have remained the same for decades, with the exception of new molds, a few modern machines, and the introduction of more products.

Chris Mitchell's new wife, Penelope, joined the business in 1949, a year after they were married. Their son, Bill, who had worked for his father as a boy, eventually inherited the business. After fifty-two years in Coventry Village, Mitchell's relocated to Lee Road in May 1991. Chris Mitchell died in 2000 at the age of 102. Penelope Mitchell lived until her late nineties. She passed away in 2015, assisting in the shop until shortly before her death. In 2016, Bill Mitchell finally decided it was time for a change. The business is now owned by Jason Hallaman and his wife Emily, who are committed to maintaining the Mitchells’ impeccable legacy.

The view from the shop windows may have changed, as have the owners. However, the tastes and smells of fresh, hand-dipped chocolate remind loyal customers of the small candy store where they would spend their dimes as children.

Audio

Beginnings Bill Mitchell talks about where his family's store opened and where it moved. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Becoming a Chocolate House Bill Mitchell talks about the candy his shop used to offer when he was a kid and why it changed. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Different Neighborhoods Bill Mitchell compares having his business at his old location on Coventry Road to its new location on Lee Road. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Greek Candy Makers Bill Mitchell gives a history of Greek-owned candy shops in Cleveland. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Chocolate Cartel Bill Mitchell talks about how the fall of the Berlin Wall affected the price of chocolate. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Dark Chocolate Bill Mitchell tells how the Mitchell's shop is different than others. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Evolving and Expanding Bill Mitchell lists some of the new items the store has introduced over the years. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Mitchell's at the Movies Dennis Coughlin describes Mitchell's Candies' original location beside the Heights Theater. Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection